Try, Try Again
By James Baldwin
Comprehension
A. Write true of false.
1. Tamerlane was the ruler of Tartary. [T]
2. Tamerlane could not defeat any enemy. [F]
3. The ant was carrying a grain of wheat. [T]
4. A horse taught Tamerlane a lesson. [F]
B. Answer the questions.
1. What did Tamerlane want to do?
= Tamerlane wanted to become the master of the world like Alexander the Great. So, he raised a great army and made war against other countries.
2. He had now been a wanderer for twenty days. Who had been a wanderer for twenty days and why?
= Tamerlane, the king of Tartary, had been a wanderer for twenty days because his army was beaten, his men were scattered; and he fled alone from the field of battle.
3. Did the ant succeed in carrying the grain of wheat all the way to its home at first? How many times did it try?
= The ant did not succeeded in carrying the grain of wheat all the way to its home at first.
It tried for twenty-one times and then it succeeded.
C. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. "Suddenly he saw a small object creeping up the trunk of the tree."
a. Who was he?
= He was Tamerlane, the ruler of Tartary.
b. What was the small object?
= The small object was an ant.
c. Why was the small object creeping up the trunk of the tree?
= The small object was creeping up the trunk of the tree as it was carrying a grain of wheat as large as itself.
2. "You are a brave fellow, Mr Ant,"...
a. Who was the speaker?
= Tamerlane, the ruler of Tartary, was the speaker.
b. Why did he call the ant brave?
= He called the ant brave because it was carrying a grain of wheat to a hole in the tree only a little way above, and that was the home of the ant.
c. What did the speaker say after this to the ant?
= After this, the speaker said that it had a heavy load to carry.
3. "You have taught me a lesson..."
a. Who said this and to whom?
= Tamerlane, the ruler of Tartary, said this to the ant.
b. What lesson did the speaker learn?
= The speaker learnt the lesson of trying again and again till he becomes successful.
c. How did the speaker learn this lesson?
= The speaker saw that the ant was carrying a grain of wheat as large as itself to the hole on the tree a little above. It was falling on the ground again and again as it was trying to pass the rough trunk of the tree. It fell repeatedly. It tried twenty-first time and then it succeed. This incident taught Tamerlane a lesson.
4. "But at last his army was beaten;"
a. Whose army was beaten?
= Tamerlane's army was beaten.
b. What did he do after this?
= After this he wandered in fear from place to place. His foes were looking for him. He was in despair. He was about to lose all hope.
c. What is the meaning of the word beaten?
= The meaning of the word beaten is defeated.
D. Think and answer.
1. Why did Tamerlane want to be like Alexander the Great?
= Tamerlane wanted to be like Alexander the Great to become the master of the whole world.
2. Which other stories does this tale remind you of?
= This tale reminds me of other stories of Robert Bruce and the Hare and the Tortoise.
3. What lesson did Tamerlane learn?
= The ant was carrying a grain of wheat as large as itself to the hole on the tree a little above. It was falling on the ground again and again as it was trying to pass the rough trunk of the tree. It fell repeatedly. It tried twenty-first time and then it succeeded. This incident taught Tamerlane a lesson. He should try again to form his army and rescue his kingdom from his enemies.